Lubricating means for railway car truck journal bearings



F. D. BARBER July 26, 1955 Filed Feb. 26, 1952 LUBRICATING MEANS FORRAILWAY CAR TRUCK JOURNAL BEARINGS INVENTOR.

United States Patent LUBRICATING MEANS FOR RAILWAY CAR TRUCK JOURNALBEARINGS Franklin D. Barber, Flossmoor, Ill., assignor to Standard CarTruck Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New Jersey ApplicationFebruary 26, 1952, Serial No. 273,371

Claims. c1. 308-83) The present invention relates to lubricating meansfor railway car journal bearings and more particularly to an improvedmeans for maintaining a body of oil free from contamination and inposition whereby the axle journal is in direct contact with the body ofoil. Still more specifically, the invention is concerned with a novelmeans for supporting a lubricant reservoir within a journal box inoperative position with respect to the axle journal to insure thoroughlubrication of the journal and bearing and to also provide an improvedsealed joint between the reservoir and the axle journal so as to preventingress of foreign matter such as moisture and grit, and which willprevent leakage of oil.

Heretofore, where lubricant reservoirs have been employed in connectionwith railway car axle journals, particularly where the reservoir hasbeen suspended from the journal bearing so that the reservoir and thehearing element cooperate to completely house the journal, relativeshifting between the axle journal and journal hearing lengthwise of thejournal has set up a so-called pumping action whereby changing internalpressure in the enclosed reservoir tends to force the lubricant from thereservoir through the reservoir sealing means or to draw moisture andforeign material into the reservoir through the sealing means. Thepresent invention is designed to overcome the above noted limitationthat is attendant upon the use of conventional sealing means inconnection with enclosed lubricant reservoirs and toward this end itcontemplates the provision of a novel form of resercoir seal havingassociated therewith a floating sealing ring assembly which isresponsive to changes in internal pressure within the reservoiroccasioned by such pumping action.

The provision of a reservoir seal of the character briefly outlinedabove being among the principal objects of the invention, another objectis to provide a sealing means of this sort which, in addition toefficiently performing its sealing function, will be simple andrelatively inexpensive to construct and install in its operativeposition on an axle journal.

Other objects and advantages of the invention not at this timeenumerated .will become readily apparent as the nature of the inventionis better understood.

In the accompanying single sheet of drawings forming a part of thisspecification, a preferred embodiment of this invention has been shown.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view taken substantially centrally andlongitudinally through a railway car journal box having associatedtherewith the improved journal lubricant reservoir and seal of thepresent invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 ofFig. 1 in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line33 of Fig. l in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

taken longitudinally through a portion of the reservoir seal in thevicinity of the journal bearing member or brass associated with thejournal box.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and in particu lar to Figs. 1and 2, the improved lubricating means of the present invention is shownas being applied .to the axle journal of a conventional wheel .axle 11within the journal box 12 of a railway car truck. The journal.

box 12 is.of standard construction and is shown herein as integrallycast with end portions 13, 14 of a truck side frame. The outer open endof the journal box is adapted to be closed by the usual closure member15 which is pivotally carried on a pin 16 supported between lugs 17integral with the journal box casing. Spring means 18 is provided formaintaining the closure member, 15 in either its fully opened or itsfully closed position.

The inner end of the journal box 12 is provided with an opening 20through which the axle journal 10 projects inwardly of the journal box.The journal box is provided with the usual dust guard slot 21 carrying adust guard 22 which bears against the dust guard hearing 23 of the axle11 to exclude dust, dirt, or other foreign material from the interior ofthe journal box.

A journal bearing member of brass 24 overlies the axle journal 10 and isprovided with a liner of babbitt, or the like, which partly encompassesthe axle journal 10. A wedge member 26 is interposed between the hearingmember 24 and the top of the journal box 10 and has an end 27 bearingagainst a lock shoulder 28 formed integrally on the journal box.

In order to minimize axial movement of the journal relative to thebearing 24 a thrust plate 29 is secured as by welding to a flange 30formed on the end of the bearing 24 to extend over the end collar 31 ofthe journal 10. A replaceable metal thrust member,32 of arcuate designis interposed between a vertical end wall of the bearing member and theend collar 31. The spacing of the thrust member 32 and the plate 29 issuch as to permit a slight clearance for the end collar 31 so that onlya limited degree of axial shifting movement of the bearing member 24relative to the axle journal 10,may take place. The inner edge region ofthe bearing member 24 is rounded as at 33 and follows the flared innerend of theliner 25. The extreme inner end of the bearing is providedwith a projecting arcuatefflange portion 34 (see also Fig. 3), thenature and function of which will become apparent as the followingdescription ensues.

A lubricant reservoir is designated in its entirety at 35 and is adaptedat all times to maintain an adequate supply of lubricant therein forapplication to the axle journal 10. The reservoir 35 is adapted to besuspended Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail view I fromthe journal bearing member 24. It may be formed of any suitable rigid,semi-rigid, or flexible material including sheet metal, plastic moldingor oil resistant rubber. The reservoir 35, however, for the presentdisclosure is constructed of sheet metal or other. rigid material sinceby the use of such materials the inner end of the reservoir does notrequire additional reinforcement, as is the case of a flexiblereservoir, to provide rigid attaching means for the floating seal, v

The lubricant reservoir 35 is generally of trough-like semi-cylindricaldesign and involves in its 'general organization a front wall 36 whichis secured to the lower edge of the thrust plate 29 in sealingengagement there with in any suitable manner as for example by means ofscrews 37. The lower longitudinal edges of the hearing member 24 areprovided with inwardly offset flanges 38 and the upper longitudinaledges of the reservoir 35 are secured as by means of screws 40 to theouter sides of the flanges 38 with the extreme edge portions of thereservoir bearing against the shoulders 41 which extend horizontallyoutwardly from the flanges 38. The flanges 38 and shoulders 41 afford anefficient liquid seal to prevent egress of lubricant from the reservoirat the sides thereof.

The inner end of the lubricant reservoir 35 is open, which is to say,the inner rim 42 is generally semi-circular and is preferably flaredoutwardly" to 'a slight degree as shown in Fig. l to rigidify the innerend marginal portion. This inner end of the lubricant reservoir. isadapted to be sealed against egress of lubricant from th reservoir alongthe outer surface of the axle journal adjacent its'juncture with thedust guard bearing 23. Toward this end the improved sealing means of'the present invention which has been designated in its entirety at 43has been provided.

The sealing. means 43 above referred to is best illustrated in Figs. 1and 4. Accordingly, the sealing means is comprised of three cooperatingprincipal parts, namely, an inner annular split sealing ring 44 ofmediumhard oil resistant material, but having some resilience, seated inand firmly held within a rigid retaining ring 45, and a flexiblediaphragmatic wall in the form of a turned back cuif overlying thesealing ring. The sealing ring 44 is generally of rectilinearchannel-shape in cross section with the lower flange 47 of the'channelbeing recessed at 47?, 47 to provide spaced apart lips 48, 48 which havesome resilience so as to bear resiliently on the cylindrical surface ofthe axle, for example the journal, a web or base portion 49 and an outerflanged portion 50 which is spaced from the sealing flange 47. The twoflanges 47 and 50 extend in a directionfinwardly of the reservoir andthe forward faces thereof terminate in substantially the same verticalplane. A garter spring 51 surrounds the sealing flange 47 and isdisposed in the void existing between the two flanges 47 and 50 andserves to yieldingly maintain the sealing lips 48, 48 in engagement withthe outer surface of the axle journal 10. The metal ring 45 is generallyof Z-shaped configuration in cross section and is a free floatingmember. It has a forward inturned flange 52 which closely overlies theforward face of the flange 50, a horizontal web closely fitting theouter perimeter 53 of the seal ring 44 and an outwardly turnedrelatively thickflange 54. The flexible member 46, when assembled in thesealing means 43, is of a general shape in cross section resembling aturn back cuff and has one edge region 55 thereof clamped to the flange5 4 of the ring 45 by means of a metal clamping or draw ring 56 andannular spaced clamping screws 57. The extreme lower edge region of themember 46 overlies a portion of the inner split sealing ring 44 andserves to maintain the ring 50 against lateral shifting in the directionof the dust guard bearing. The other edge region 58 overlies thepreviously mentioned flange portion 34 ofthe bearing element 24 and therigid inner marginal portion 42 of the reservoir 35 and is clampedthereto coextensively by means of a split clamping band 60 havingclamping lugs 61 and a clamping nut and bolt assembly 62 associatedtherewith. As shown in Fig. 4, the outer annular surface of the. flangeportion 34 isarcuate or trough-like in configuration and the clampingband 60 is similarly arcuate in cross section to effect .a moreeflicient clamping action on the edge region 58 of the flexible cuff 46.

From the above description it will be seen that the inner flange 47 ofthe sealing ring 44 is normally contracted by the garter spring 51 so asto press the lips 48, .48 against the outer surface of the axle journal10 and provides a highly effective seal against the escape of lubricantwhile at .the same time permitting relative rotation'of the axle journalas well as limited axial shifting movements of the latter relative tothe bearing 24. The side of the flange 47 maybe recessed as at 49 toreceive the garter spring 51 and hold the same against lateral shiftingon the flange 47.

The end region 58 of the flexible cuff 46 is effectively clampe -.1 3 thclampin band .60 a a gut-er curved side of the laterally projectingflange 34 of the bearing 24 as well as against the outside of the innermarginal portion of the reservoir. Thus lubricant is effectivelyprevented from leaving the reservoir around the outside of the sealingassembly 43. The intermediate region of the assembly 43 is renderedimpervious to the passage of lubricant therethrough by the fact that thesealing ring 44, split to facilitate its insertion over the thrustcollar 31, istightly pressed in the metal ring 45 and, therefore, thesplit ends of the ring 44 are pressed tightly together.

The intermediate metal ring 45 which surrounds the sealing ring 44 andin turn is surrounded by the flexible cufl 46 is free floating.Consequently axial shifting movements of the journal relative to thejournal bearing may result in a slightaxialshifting of the sealingassembly 43 as a whole.

In the initial installation of the reservoir 35 and sealing means 43,the axle19 may be removed from the journal'b'oxb y' the usual procedureand the split sealing ring applied thereto'by spreading the split endsapart sufliciently to permit the ring to pass over the thrust collar 31.The metal ring is then passed over the thrust collar 31 and fitted onthe split seal ring 44. The garter spring 51 "may be applied before orafter'the metal ring is applied. The journal bearing 24 with the appliedthrust plate 29 may be applied in its operative position and the lubricant reservoir isthereafter attached to the bearing element. The flexiblecuff 46 having been previously fixedto the metal ring 45 is now clampedto the flange 34 and marginal portions 42 of the lubricant is rv'jir" by'meanso'f the clamp ring 60. The assembled bearing'and reservoircompletely enclose the journal and may finally be moved "to" theirultimate positions within the journalIboxf The wedge 26 may then beinserted into the journal box 12 through the front opening thereof inthe usual manner of installation. When the parts are assemble'd in theirfinal positions on the journal, the journal reservoir 35 may be filledwith lubricant th fough a filling opening 63 provided for the purpose tothe'desire'd level so that the lubricant level is above the loweimostlevel of the axle journal 10. Thus, upon rotati n" of 'the axlejournal, the lubricant is carried to'the b aring' surfaces of the liner25.

While th "v ention has been described in terms of certain preferredembodiments which it may assume in practice, it is not intended that thesame be limited to the specific qqns tru ctihn'fof the embodiment shownnor otherwise 'than b y the terms of the claims here appended.

'Iclairnz' l. The combination with a railway car axle journal the outerinner limitsof which are defined, respectively,'by an end c oila'r" anda dust guard bearing surface, a bearing member supported thereon and alubricant reservoir member open at one end and suspended'from the rfnalbearingmember and cooperating therewith to encompass said axle journal,of means providing a flexible elosurefor the open end of said reservoirmember so as to stipport a body of lubricating oil therein in contactwith and partially surrounding said journal and to provide a sealedconnect rilbet'ween' the journal and the inner end of the journalbearing member to prevent ingress of foreign matterland leakageofsaidoil from said reservoir member, said flexible closure and sealedconnection comprising a seal ring immediately surrounding said axlejournal at a location intermediate the inner end portion of said bearingand said dust guard bearing surface and having an axially extendingannular flange of some resilience in contact with the journal, a garterspring encompassing 'said annular flange and exerting pressure thereonto press the said annular flange into resilient sealing engagementwiththejournal, and a flex- "ibl'e diaphragmatic wall memberextendingoutwardly from said seal ring and ?l v in sealing engagement with theinner ends of said journal bearing member and said reservoir member.

2. The combination structure as defined in claim 1 characterized in thatthe inner end of the journal bearing member is provided with a lateralflange overlying said seal ring and in that an edge portion of saiddiaphragmatic wall encompasses said lateral flange on said bearingmember and the inner edge portion of said reservoir member.

3. The combination with a railway car axle journal, a bearing membersupported thereon and a lubricant reservoir member open at one end andsuspended from the journal bearing member and cooperating therewith toencompass said axle journal, of means providing a flexible closure forthe open end of said reservoir member so as to support a body oflubricant therein in contact with and partially surrounding said journaland to provide a sealed connection between the journal and the inner endof the journal bearing member to prevent ingress of foreign'matter andleakage of lubricant from said reservoir member, said flexible closureand sealed connection comprising a seal ring immediately surroundingsaid axle journal and having an axially extending annular flange of someresilience in contact with the journal, a garter spring encompassingsaid annular flange and exerting pressure thereon to press the annularflange into resilient sealing engagement with the journal, a rigidretaining ring surrounding and in sealing engagement with the outerperimeter of said seal ring, and a flexible diaphragmatic wall membersecured to and extending outwardly from said retaining ring and securedin sealing engagement with the inner ends of said journal bearing memberand said reservoir member.

4. The combination with a railway car axle journal, a bearing membersupported thereon and a lubricant reservoir member open at one end andsuspended from the journal bearing member and cooperating therewith toencompass said axle journal, of means providing a flexible closure forthe open end of said reservoir member so as to support a body oflubricant therein in contact with and partially surrounding said journaland to provide a sealed connection between the journal and the inner endof the journal bearing member to prevent ingress of foreign matter andleakage of lubricant from said reservoir member, said flexible closureand sealed connection comprising a transversely split seal ringimmediately surrounding the axle journal and having an axially extendingannular flange of some resilience in contact with the journal, a garterspring encompassing said annular flange and exerting pressure thereon topress the annular flange into resilient sealing engagement with thejournal, a rigid retaining ring surrounding and in sealing engagementwith the perimeter of the seal ring and functioning to hold the splitend portions thereof in sealing engagement with each other and providedwith a radial flange extending inwardly toward the axis of said journaland overlying a side face of the seal ring intermediate said seal ringand an adjacent end of the journal bearing member, and a diaphragmaticwall member secured to said retaining ring and also secured in sealingengagement with the inner ends of said journal bearing member and saidreservoir member.

5. The combination with a railway car axle journal the outer and innerlimits of which are defined, respectively, by a collar and a dust guardbearing surface of greater diameter than the journal, a bearing membersupported on the journal and a lubricant reservoir open at one endsuspended from the journal bearing member and cooperating therewith toencompass said axle journal, of means providing a flexible closure forthe open end of said reservoir member so as to support a body oflubricating oil therein in contact with and partially surrounding saidjournal and to provide a sealed connection between the journal and theinner ends of said journal bearing and said reservoir member to preventleakage of said oil from the reservoir, said flexible closure and sealconnection comprising a seal ring immediately surrounding and inresilient sealing engagement with said axle journal at a locationintermediate the inner end portion of said journal bearing and said dustguard bearing surface, a flexible diaphragmatic wall member extendingoutwardly from said seal ring, and means for securing the outer marginalportion of said wall member in sealing engagement with the inner ends ofsaid journal bearing member and said reservoir member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS727,987 Maltry May 12, 1903 1,519,072 Tarlton Dec. 9, 1924 1,701,010Nystrom Feb. 5, 1929 1,906,840 Coady May 2, 1933 2,004,921 Blue June 18,1935 FOREIGN PATENTS 71,626 Norway Feb. 3, 1947 209,265 Great BritainJan. 10, 1924 256,632 France Aug. 31, 1948 459,453 France Nov. 6, 1913

